Inflating body for pressing a piece of clothing

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an inflating body, for the drying and/or pressing of pieces of clothing, whereby said inflating body is made from sections with at least three different air permeabilities.

The present invention relates to an inflating body for pressing a pieceof clothing, especially a piece of clothing for the upper body, such asfor example a shirt, a blouse or a jacket.

It is known to dry or press items of clothing by pulling these onto aninflating body which is also designated as an inflatable dummy and whichsubstantially has the shape of the garment to be ironed, and thisinflating body is provided with air or steam from inside. The inflatingbody is inflated by the supply of air or steam and tensions the items tobe ironed or dried from inside. In this case, the piece of clothing isdried or pressed on the one hand by means of the pressure applied to thepiece of clothing by the inflated inflating body. In addition, thecasing of the inflating body can have a certain air permeability toallow flow through the material of the piece of clothing. The pressureapplied to the piece of clothing and the quantity of air flowing throughthe material of the piece of clothing thus determine the degree ofdrying and the pressing result which can be achieved with the device. Inorder to be able to achieve adequate drying of areas of the piece ofclothing in which more than one layer of material is superimposed, ithas been proposed in the prior art to provide openings in the casing ofthe inflating body at these regions. Such a solution is described forexample in WO 99/49123. Also known from EP 0096080 is a body-shaped bagfor drying and shaping items of clothing wherein areas having anelevated air permeability are provided in the areas in which a pluralityof material layers are superposed.

The provision of one air permeability in one region and an elevated airpermeability in a further region can thus ensure reliable drying ofmultilayer parts of the item of clothing. However, it should be notedthat as a result of the flow relationships prevailing therein, in someareas of the inflating body even areas having more than one materiallayer are dried more rapidly than other areas. Thus, if one area inwhich a plurality of material layers are present on the item of clothingis continuously brought in contact, as in the prior art, with an area ofthe inflating body having a high air permeability, escape of unused airvia these areas can occur at locations of the inflating body. However,attention should be paid to minimising the energy consumption especiallyin domestic appliances. In addition, the provision of areas having highair permeability on the inflating body at all locations intended to drya plurality of material layers, can have the consequence that as aresult of the air escaping via these regions, a pressure build-up cannotbe achieved in the inflating body or can only be achieved if extremelyhigh quantities of air are introduced into the inflating body. If largequantities of air are introduced at too-high pressure, this can againyield a poor pressing result.

It is thus the object of the invention to provide an inflating body fordrying and/or pressing items of clothing which also allows reliabledrying and pressing of items of clothing in areas with a plurality ofmaterial layers and which can at the same time ensure a minimal energyconsumption. Furthermore, it should be possible to achieve a simplebuild-up of pressure in the inflating body and the inflating body shouldbe simple to manufacture.

The invention is based on the finding that this can be achieved by meansof an inflating body wherein different sections with different airpermeabilities are used.

The object is solved according to the invention by an inflating body fordrying and/or pressing items of clothing wherein the inflating body ismade from sections having at least three different air permeabilities.

By using sections having different air permeabilities, it is possible totake into account the requirement that both sufficient drying and aminimal loss of air should be ensured. Areas in which a plurality ofmaterial layers are indeed superposed but where a high pressure prevailsas a result of the flow relationships inside the inflating body areconfigured as having a lower air permeability than areas above which aplurality of layers are to be dried but which are not directly exposedto flow from inside.

Furthermore, the manufacture of the inflating body can be simplified byusing different sections each having the desired air permeability. Inthis case, the incorporation of openings in the sections can be omitted.Moreover, since the air permeability is dependent on the sections, smalllimited areas requiring a high air permeability can also be provided forexample. These limited areas of specific air permeability cannot beprovided on a large section or can only be provided at great expense, byadjusting air permeabilities, for example, by means of coatings.

The inflating body preferably has at least one section which has amedium air permeability with an air permeability value of 3 to 20 L/m²s,preferably of 5 to 10 L/m²s. These values are measured at a pressuredifferential of 100 Pa. Sections with this medium air permeability canbe used, for example, in areas where a high degree of drying is requiredbut which would s result in too high loss of air as a result of the flowrelationships if a section with a high air permeability was provided.

The sections configured as sealed can have an air permeability value of0 to 3 L/m²s, preferably of 0 to 1 L/m²s and the open sections can havean air permeability value of 100 to 250 L/m²s, preferably of 150 to 210L/m²s. These values are also measured at a pressure differential of 100Pa.

According to one embodiment, a section with medium air permeability isprovided in the chest area of the inflating body. Breast pockets of anitem of-clothing where a plurality of material layers are present can bedried by this section for example.

In addition, an open section can be provided in the chest area. The opensection is preferably arranged so that this is located at a positioncorresponding to the position of a logo applied or incorporated on abreast pocket of the item of clothing. By this means this area whichconsists both of a plurality of material layers and additionally of thematerial of the logo can be reliably dried. The open section istherefore hereinafter also designated as logo drying. The section ofmedium air permeability likewise disposed in the chest area on the otherhand can be used for drying the breast pocket itself. Since this sectionneed not be configured as open, this can extend over the entire chestarea of the inflating body without the need to fear too-great loss ofair. In addition to the drying of the logo, the drying of the remainingpocket area can be assisted by the open section by means of thecapillary fibres of the material of the item of clothing.

The shape of the open section in the chest area is preferablystrip-shaped. This can extend over the length of the entire chest areaof the inflating body. By this means the cut of the entire front side ofthe inflating member can be kept simple. In addition to the strip forthe logo drying, a single further section of medium air permeability canbe provided for the chest area which substantially has a rectangularshape. A recess in the chest area for sewing in the logo drying andexpensive sewing can thus be dispensed with.

According to a further embodiment, a section of medium air permeabilitycan be provided in the shoulder area of the inflating body. This sectioncan be used to dry the yoke of the item of clothing. In this case, thissection extends over the entire width of the back of the inflating bodyas far as the upper area of the front of the inflating body. Thematerial layers of the yoke, which is usually configured as multilayeredneed to be dried in this area. However, as a result of the size of thisarea, high losses of air can occur after drying the yoke if the area isprovided with a high air permeability. In addition, the use of a sectionof medium air permeability in this area has the advantage that in shirtsor blouses having no multilayered yoke the loss of air can be minimisedcompared with the use of a highly air-permeable section. The inflatingbody can therefore be used flexibly.

In a further embodiment, a section of medium air permeability isincorporated in the inflating body in the area of the cuff slit. The useof such a section in this area can firstly ensure drying of the slitconfigured as multilayered and secondly minimise the air loss in thisarea. Especially in inflating bodies where the sleeve sections of theinflating body are directly supplied with air, the provision of a highlypermeable section would result in too-rapid drying of the cuff slit andtherefore in a high loss of air.

The invention is described hereinafter with reference to the appendeddrawings using one possible exemplary embodiment. In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of one embodiment of the inflating bodyaccording to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic rear view of one embodiment of the inflating bodyaccording to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of an inflating body 1 according to theinvention. This has a torso section 20 and two sleeve sections 30.

The sleeve sections 30 each consists of the following sections which aresubstantially named according to the parts of the piece of clothingwhich is to be dried and pressed using this inflating body. Provided atthe end of the sleeve section 30 is a sleeve termination 12 followed bya cuff 11. The sleeve 9 is provided between the cuff 11 and the sleeveopening by means of which the sleeve section 30 is joined to the torsosection 20. This sleeve is interrupted on one side of the sleeve section30 by the cuff slit 10 adjacent to the cuff 1 1. Provided at the sleeveopening in the lower area of the sleeve section 30 is a gusset 8 whichserves to enlarge the circumference of the sleeve section 20 in theimmediate vicinity of the sleeve opening. A strip 7 which serves to drythe button and the buttonhole strip of the item of clothing

extends over the front of the torso section 20 substantially over theentire length of the torso section 20. Located in the shoulder areas ofthe torso section 20 is the front portion of a yoke 14 which continuesover the shoulder section at the back of the torso section. In theembodiment shown a chest area 3 is provided below the yoke 14 on theleft side of the strip 7. This is followed in the downward direction bya lower front portion 4. Torso pulls indicated by the externally visibleseams in the embodiment-shown are incorporated in the lower frontportion 4. Cords or other tensioning means are guided in these internaltorso pulls, allowing a certain torso circumference to be adjusted inthe lower area of the torso section. This is important to avoid an itemof clothing pulled onto the inflating body 1 from slipping upwards.

The right front side in the embodiment shown differs from the left sidelocated on the other side of the strip 7. The shoulder section is alsoformed by the front area of the yoke 14 on the right side. This isfollowed by a chest area 3. However, this has a narrower width than thewidth of the yoke 14. Provided between the chest area 3 and the strip isa logo drying area 5 which compensates for the difference in the widthbetween the yoke 14 and the chest area 3 on the right front side. Thelogo drying area 5 is in the shape of a strip. A lower front portion 4with torso pulls is in turn located below the chest area 3. The lowerfront portion 4 has a width which is also smaller than the width of thefront area of the yoke 14. The width of the lower front portion 4 on theright side corresponds to the width of the chest area 3 on the rightside. Provided next to the front portion 4 and below the logo dryingarea 5 is an eye strip 6 via which the ends of the cords or othertensioning means of the interior torso pulls can be guided out from theinflating body 1.

Provided at the collar area of the inflating body 1 is a collar 16 whosecollar opening is partly covered by a collar overtensioner 17. Providedon each side at the lower edge of the torso section 20 are bottomportions 13 which reduce the circumference of the torso section 20 fromthe circumference in the area of the lower front portions 4 and thelower area of the back 2 to a circumference corresponding to a bottomedge 15 which is provided at the lower edge of the torso section 20 andby means of which the inflating body 1 is connected to a lower portionin which a housing (not shown) can be provided for a blower.

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of the inflating body 1. The back of the torsosection is formed by the yoke 14 which extends over the entire width ofthe back of the torso section 30 and a back 2 adjacent thereto at thebottom where torso pulls are again provided in its lower area. The backextends from the yoke 14 as far as the lower edge of the torso section30.

In the embodiment shown, most of the sections consist of anair-impermeable material, preferably a textile material. This preferablyhas an air permeability of 0-1 L/m²s measured at a pressure differentialof 100 Pa.

The yoke on the other hand consists of a material of medium airpermeability of preferably 5 to 10 L/m²s, measured at a pressuredifferential of 100 Pa. The yoke of the item of clothing is adjacent tothe yoke 14 during the drying and pressing process. This yoke isgenerally constructed as multilayered which is why an increased airsupply to this part of the item of clothing is required. However, thelength of the yoke in some items of clothing is shorter than in othersand some items of clothing have no yoke at all. These different items ofclothing can be dried or pressed using the inflating body according tothe invention since the loss of air can be kept low by the choice of asection having a medium air permeability.

Furthermore, the section of the cuff slit 10 is a section having amedium air permeability. The slit which is adjacent to the cuff inbuttoned cuffs rests in this area during the pressing process. Since thecuff which is likewise constructed as multilayered rests on the end ofthe sleeve of the item of clothing, it is preferable to supply the areaof the lower sleeve directly with air. This can be accomplished viapipes or via an inner inflating body which extends at least partly intothe sleeve section of the inflating body and an opening for the airoutlet in the lower sleeve section is provided at its end. As a resultof this high air supply in the lower sleeve region, a high loss of aircan occur when the cuff slit is dried if the section of the cuff slit 10has a high air permeability. According to the invention, this air losscan be reduced or prevented by using a section having a medium airpermeability. Nevertheless, this section can ensure sufficient drying ofthe cuff slit of the item of clothing.

In the embodiment shown, the sections of the strip 7, the cuff 11 andthe collar 6 are made of a material having a high air permeability.During the drying and pressing process a plurality of material layersrest on these sections of the inflating body and in addition fasteningor fixing devices are generally provided in these regions by which meansthe item of clothing is held on the inflating body and by which meansthe parts are held in shape. A high air supply is thus required for thedrying in these regions and the air loss is minimised by the presence offixing devices.

In the embodiment shown the chest area 3 is a section with a medium airpermeability. In this area breast pockets are provided on items ofclothing, especially on shirts, which require a higher air supplybecause of the plurality of layers from which they are formed. However,items of clothing on which a pocket is only provided on one side, forexample, should also be able to be dried and pressed using the inflatingbody. The air loss in shirts of this type would be too great if thechest areas were to have a high air permeability on both sides of thefront of the torso section. In addition, the chest area can lie in thevicinity of the point of introduction of air into the inflating bodywhereby the air loss is further increased. With the section having amedium air permeability according to the invention, however, the airloss is minimised and at the same time, a good drying result is achievedat the pocket.

Provided on the right side of the front of the torso section 20 in theembodiment shown is a logo drying area 5 which consists of a section ofhigh air permeability. This section makes it possible to dry logos orother applications provided on shirts. In addition, the logo drying area5 can be used to assist the drying of a breast pocket. Since this areais rapidly dried by the high air supply through the section of the logodrying area 5, the remaining area of the pocket is at least partly driedby means of the logo drying via the capillary forces of the fibres ofthe item of clothing. This assistance of the breast pocket drying canespecially be used in shirts having no applications or logos on thebreast pocket. However, this effect also comes about in breast pocketswith logos. The inflating body according to the invention can thus beused for many different types of shirts.

The present invention is not restricted to the embodiment shown.

Although in the embodiment shown the logo drying is only provided on theright side, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide thison both sides.

The invention thus provides an inflating body which is firstly simple tomanufacture and secondly allows drying and pressing of different itemsof clothing whereby a minimal loss of air and exceptional drying andpressing results can be achieved.

1-6. (canceled)
 7. An inflating body for drying and/or pressing items ofclothing, the inflating body comprising multiple sections with at leastthree different air permeability values.
 8. The inflating body accordingto claim 7, wherein the inflatable body has a medium air permeabilitysection with an air permeability value of 3 to 20 L/m²s.
 9. Theinflating body according to claim 8, wherein the medium air permeabilitysection has an air permeability value of 5 to 10 L/m²s.
 10. Theinflating body according to claim 7, wherein said inflating body has asealed section which has an air permeability value of 0 to 3 L/m s, andan open section with an air permeability value of 100 to 250 L/m²s. 11.The inflating body according to claim 10, wherein the sealed section hasan air permeability value of 0 to 1 L/m²s and the open section has anair permeability value of 150 to 210 L/m²s.
 12. The inflating bodyaccording to claim 8, wherein the medium air permeability section isprovided in a chest area of said inflating body.
 13. The inflating bodyaccording to claim 8, wherein the medium air permeability section isprovided in a shoulder area of said inflating body.
 14. The inflatingbody according to claim 8, wherein the medium air permeability sectionis incorporated in said inflating body in an area of the cuff slit of anitem of clothing.
 15. An inflating body for drying and pressing items ofclothing, comprising: a medium air permeability section with an airpermeability value of 3 to 20 L/m²s; a sealed section which has an airpermeability value of 0 to 3 L/m²s; and an open section with an airpermeability value of 100 to 250 L/m²s.
 16. The inflating body accordingto claim 15, wherein the medium air permeability section has an airpermeability value of 5 to 10 L/m²s, the sealed section has an airpermeability value of 0 to 1 L/m²s, and the open section has an airpermeability value of 150 to 210 L/m²s.
 17. The inflating body accordingto claim 15, wherein the medium air permeability section is provided ina chest area of said inflating body.
 18. The inflating body according toclaim 15, wherein the medium air permeability section is provided in ashoulder area of said inflating body.
 19. The inflating body accordingto claim 15, wherein the medium air permeability section is incorporatedin said inflating body in an area of the cuff slit of an item ofclothing.